Out Loud

The big night, the grand finale, and the final goodbye for Simon Cowell, it was a big night for American Idol fans. Only 2% of the votes separated Crystal and Lee and the audience seemed to have more Lee fans than Crystal fans in it. Could this be an omen?

With the opening reminder of Simon’s farewell, Randy stood up to give Simon a standing ovation followed by Alice Cooper singing “School’s Out.”

Last year’s winner Kris Allen sang his song “The Truth.” It was a fitting start for the tribute to Simon. They showed clips of Simon’s journey on Idol and I was amazed to see Simon with longer hair, having missed the first two seasons. Simon was so moved by the clips he laughed until he had tears in his eyes. Yes, Simon with tears, pigs do fly! Even Ryan was “feeling a bit weepy” as he put it.

Siobhan Magnus and Aaron Kelly sang a love song for Simon. “How Deep Is Your Love” by the Bee Gees, who came out during the song to join the singing. There were only two of the Bee Gees brothers, Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb, both of the original Bee Gees group. The other brother of the original three, Maurice, died in 2003.

This turned out to be just the beginning of the many big singing stars that would grace the stage of the Season 9 finale. Big Mike Lynche sang “Taking It To The Streets” with Michael McDonald, member of the Doobie Brothers band from 1975 to 1995 according to Wikipedia.

Dane Cook sang a tribute to Simon which I think may have been called “Simon Said” but that’s just a guess. Dane said that Simon had the honesty of Abe Lincoln and the charm of the guy who shot him.

The top six Idol girls came out singing Christina Aguilera’s song “Beautiful”, joined by Christina herself, who went on to sing another song. It was a bad girls night with Christina and all the female Idols in black leather. Siobhan’s stockings took it, though, being some strange variety of fishnet that wasn’t fishnet.

Comedian Ricky Gervais paid tribute to Simon calling him the “king maker.” Hey, what about queens? (No, we’re not going THERE.) Ricky claimed that Simon threw away old wrinkled money and you could get rich digging thru his trash cans for it. I kept thinking that past Idol Chicken Little was named Kevin Gervais and wondered if there was a relationship. My memory was close but not close enough because Chicken Little of Season 5 was actually Kevin COVAIS. Okay, so I was close.

The top six Idol dudes came out singing “I Can’t Go For That” and “Maneater” by Hall and Oates who joined in. I smiled to be reunited with Teflon Tim if only for a song or two.

Crystal Bowersox sang a duet with Alanis Morrisette. It was an amazing duet, the two were such a perfect vocal match. We got to see almost the entire giant sunflower tattoo on Crystal’s back.

Carrie Underwood, winner of Season 4, came out singing her song “Undo It.” Carrie continued the bad girls theme wearing black leather pants. Carrie is one of the biggest superstars ever to come out of American Idol winning several Grammy awards, CMT awards, Billboard Music awards, a host of other awards and induction into the Grand Ole Opry.

Crystal and Lee were both surprised with Ford Fiestas sporting the designs each had created for the cars earlier in the season. Crystal’s had sunflowers to match her tattoo. I’m not sure how surprised they were as this seems to be the tradition for the top two Idols.

Then came the biggest surprise of the night. The surprise that brought me to tears. It was a huge moment, full of emotions on so many levels. Casey James started the song “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”. My heart stopped, this is the signature song of Bret Michaels, lead singer of the band Poison. Bret was just crowned the Celebrity Apprentice by Donald Trump just a few days ago and he’s had quite a journey these past weeks.

Bret was the underdog on Celebrity Apprentice who everyone expected to bomb out early, assuming him to be just another airhead druggy rocker. Bret, however, turned out to be the biggest surprise of the year. He’s intelligent, hard working, an excellent team player, and he’s got a big heart, especially for his daughter.

I’m not a fan of the band Poison but I’ve definitely become a fan of the man, Bret, who I’d never heard of before The Apprentice. Not only did he win the title, he did it in spite of a series of life threatening medical issues that started with appendicitis and ended with a brain hemorrhage, warning stroke, and the discovery of a hole in his heart, all while he was competing on Celebrity Apprentice. He won $390,000 for his charity, the American Diabetes Association. Bret himself has diabetes and takes four injections a day for it. During his Apprentice competition he had the scare that his daughter would be diagnosed also. He’s been on quite a ride and I was amazed to see him join Casey in the song on stage. I knew that his doctors didn’t think he should be doing anything but resting yet here he was, performing. I’m sure I’m not the only one who cried.

One thing I’ve got to say about Bret, no other contestant on Celebrity Apprentice did a better job of making sure their charity got top billing. Throughout every single episode, Bret made sure to talk about diabetes and his charity. Most of the contestants I couldn’t tell you what charity they represented but Bret, he got it out there and he kept it out there week after week. Great job, Bret Michaels!

Bret exited saying, “You rock my world!” and Lee came on with the band Chicago. Lee finally mastered the art of looking into the camera when he sings.

Enter Paula Abdul to join the Simon tribute saying that Simon is a flirt if you’re a mirror. She added that he actually really was a flirt but that his hands always ended up on his own chest.

One of the more memorable Idol wannabes was brought on to perform. Larry Platt performed his hit “Pants On The Ground”, made famous during his unsuccessful Idol tryout. He was backed by a group of dancers who ended the song literally by dropping their pants to the ground, dancing with their pants wadded up at their ankles and sporting boxer shorts.

Another Idol wannabe from a season long past made a brief appearance. Try to remember William Hung, the strange looking Chinese fellow who sang the Ricky Martin song “She Bangs.” His unusual looks and bold but horrible audition catapulted him to instant fame, a small record deal, several TV appearances and even parts in several movies.

Paula offered a long farewell full of memories and said that the judges had become America’s favorite dysfunctional family. She said that after years of sitting between two men with boobs bigger than her own, she knew she’d had enough and finally left the show. Paula blew Simon a kiss, drew him a heart in the air and said, “To sir, with love.” They played a special song for Simon: “I did it my way.” Simon responded by saying, “It’s been the best 10 years of my life. I genuinely mean this, thank you, and I’m going to miss you!”

Every American Idol winner came on stage after Paula’s farewell with the exception of one: David Cook. The rest were there: Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks, and Kris Allen.

Simon said a few words and talked about his replacement judge. He said that the judges of American Idol were the voters who watched the show, motioned to the Idol winners of seasons past, said that the voters had done a great job and that for himself, “It’s been a blast.”

Another superstar came on stage to perform, Janet Jackson. It was a bittersweet performance with the shadow of Michael Jackson dancing thru my memory. I was reminded of how genuinely talented the Jackson family is. The death of Michael Jackson was one of the biggest losses of the music world. I consider Michael to be one of the greatest entertainers of my lifetime.

American Idol really pulled out all the stops for this finale and for most of it, I forgot what we were there to witness: the crowning of the new American Idol. Crystal and Lee sang “With A Little Help From My Friends” with Joe Cocker. They looked so free. That’s the only way I can describe it. They sang happy and free, no more judges to impress, no more votes to contend for, just the music and the song. They both totally let go and enjoyed the moment with the knowledge that win or not, their journey was just beginning.

I was reminded of a wise old saying: “The time to worry is before you place your bet. After that, the result is out of your hands so just sit back and enjoy the game.”

The moment of truth was fast approaching and Lee appeared ready to cry regardless of the outcome. He could barely contain his emotions. Crystal Mama Sox stood by him in an attempt to give him a shoulder. The verdict was read and Lee DeWyze was declared the ultimate winner of American Idol Season 9.

He was so moved that he could barely speak. His first words were, “Oh my god!” Ryan asked how it felt to be the new American Idol and Lee answered in a shaky voice, “I don’t know! It’s amazing! There are no words to describe the feeling. Oh my god!”

I have no doubt that both Lee and Crystal will go on to great success. Not every Idol achieves big success but I believe that these two will. Lee has the heat, the drive, the desire, and the voice. Crystal has incredible talent and the ability to inject the clearest crystals of soul into her songs, which become “Crystallized” by her voice. I don’t know how much drive she has being divided between her child and the road to success, but we’d surely miss out on a rare songbird if she didn’t take the road. Good luck to you both, Crystal and Lee! You both truly have earned it!

Rascal Flatts opened the night with his song “Unstoppable” then Ryan divided the remaining six American Idols into three groups of two: Siobhan-Lee, Aaron-Crystal, Mike-Casey. How three would come out of this grouping was a mystery. Ellen looked at the groupings as if she were going to cry. Ryan asked Simon to explain again what he meant when he called Mike’s performance “wet” and Simon answered to Ryan, “Imagine you singing.” We were left with that.

Ryan asked Ellen about Crystal’s chance of being in the bottom three and Ellen didn’t believe America was that fickle as Crystal didn’t normally have an off week. Ryan then went over to Siobhan and asked her to follow him to Casey’s group and announced the new grouping to be the bottom three. So Crystal Bowersox, Aaron Kelly and Lee Dewyze went to safety while Siobhan Magnus, Michael Lynche and Casey James awaited the news as to which would go home.

Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood introduced Sons of Sylvia who she actually recorded a song with on her third album. Sons of Sylvia sing with an intense, almost fanatical seriousness. I was surprised that they weren’t a country group as Carrie is predominately country.

Lady Antebellum performed next with her song “Need You Now.” I was expecting some sort of Southern Belle from the name but she was simply a pretty girl singing with no mark of the South upon her.

Rascal Flatts and Shakira performed her song “Gypsy” together. She offered up a whisper of her belly dance moves but only a whisper. My favorite of her songs is “Whenever, Wherever” followed by “Hips Don’t Lie”.

Shakira’s advice to the Idols was to “keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.” We caught a glimpse of Shakira’s bare feet before Ryan asked Mike about being in the bottom three. Mike answered that there was no shame in being in the bottom three at this stage. Ryan rewarded the answer by sending Mike to safety leaving Siobhan and Casey sweating their fate.

After 33 million votes, the verdict finally fell and landed on Siobhan who sang “Think!” as her parting song. I thought it was an excellent choice. She hugged Simon (at Ryan’s insistence) while Randy told her, “You’ve got an amazing career in front of you. Do it!”

Ryan announced that next week would feature Harry Connick, Jr. with the theme of Frank Sinatra songs.

Ryan Seacrest announced that over $45 million was raised last week for Idol Gives Back, an amazing feat during these tough times. He then announced the judges and called Simon “the fountain of youth”. He did not explain it further. Ryan reminded us that the finale was one month away and that one of these six would be our next American Idol.

Tonight’s theme was pop country from the Shania Twain songbook. Shania is so cute! She said she felt responsible because the Idol’s would be singing her songs. She hoped they wouldn’t hate her if they didn’t make it through to the next round after singing one of her songs.

Lee Dewyze

Lee was the first to tackle Shania, singing “You’re Still The One.” I didn’t know that was a Shania song. It seems much older and I remember it being sung by someone else. So for me, the comparison was of the echoed memories of the song, not Shania’s version which I’ve never heard. Lee obviously poured his heart into it but I did not feel the connection. I did not feel the emotion. If I heard it on the radio I would have changed channels. Not a good Lee week for me. Randy rode the Yo bus saying, “Yo… yo… so alright, so yo…” Randy said it was one of his favorite songs of all time and that Lee started out a little pitchy but that he found a way to make it his own. He called it a “pretty good job”. Ellen said it was better than a pretty good job. Kara said that the sound of his voice on every song makes the song relevant and… good job! Simon agreed with everybody and added that it was the perfect song out of Shania’s catalog for Lee. Simon started to add more but Kara cut him off. He asked, “Can I actually finish talking?” She said yes but too late, his time was up and he never got to finish. It is irritating when she cuts him off. She already outtalks everybody as it is and I’d like to hear the other opinions.

Michael Lynche

Big Mike sang “It Only Hurts When I’m Breathing.” He’s gotten too predictable and all his songs sound the same. It didn’t move me. Randy thought he’d found his zone and called him a “great balladier.” Ellen compared him to Luther Vandross. Kara thought he’d changed it just enough and that he’d put his mark on it. Simon agreed with the Vandross comparison but thought the performance was “a little bit wet.” When asked what “wet” meant he answered “the opposite of dry” and finally said that “wet” meant “girly”.

Casey James

Casey sang “Don’t!” adding that it was a “singing song” and he didn’t think he’d sang yet (in the competition). I totally disagree. Every song he sings, he sings, and I love his voice. I always feel the connection between Casey and whatever song he sings. Randy called it one of the best Casey performances ever. I hear echoes of Tim from when the judges called something a good Tim performance. I don’t think that’s what Randy meant, though. Ellen thought he sang it like that’s where he really belongs and made reference to his Bob Seger sound. Do they read my blog or do we all just hear the same thing in his voice? Kara said if he kept doing that he’d be at the front of the competition. Simon agreed with Randy and suggested that Casey come down and give Shania a kiss (for her part in his success tonight). He came down but instead of a kiss, Casey hugged Shania. You could totally hear the love from the audience.

Crystal Bowersox

Crystal, who’d already gotten Shania to sign her guitar, said that Shania glows, that she has an aura of positive energy. I see it too. Crystal sang “No One Needs To Know” and said that the song was a message to her boyfriend. Crystal said she was dropping hints here and there and that sooner or later he’d surely “man up”. The song was about marriage and she sang it sweetly but I missed her edginess. I missed it last week, too, when she sang the gospel song. I fear for Crystal going down this road so far away from her fan base. Randy said it was not his favorite performance but that he loved seeing her try something different. Ellen echoed Randy and so did Kara adding that it was impossible for Crystal not to be good. Kara still thought she was amazing. Somehow it came out that the song wasn’t a big song like she would normally take on and Crystal answered that “bigger isn’t always better.” Simon said, “Shocker… we don’t like Crystal this week” echoing the other judges. He added that this was the only week he did not like her performance. I can think of at least one other for me… last week’s gospel tune.

Aaron Kelly

Next up was Aaron faring better than he had last week but like Big Mike he has become very predictable. It works better on Aaron, however. He has a more harmonious voice and he’s definitely got that country twang going for him. Randy said this was definitely Aaron’s wheelhouse and that he was our country artist this year. Ellen said this was going to be tough (implying a tough week to vote on). Kara noted that he really felt the words and said he was smart to change a lyric. It wasn’t clear what he’d changed and I wish she’d been more explicit for the rest of us. She’s usually overwordy but this time she wasn’t wordy enough. Simon said that the last two or three weeks he’d reallys struggled but that tonight he was like a different artist. Simon said this was the kind of record he should make and called him sincere and believeable.

Siobhan Magnus

Siobhan got to finish it out with Shania’s first number one country hit, “Any Man Of Mine.” I hoped that today was the day she’d reconnect and pick a livelier song. It was definitely livelier. I’d call it hillbilly country. Siobhan sang it well but I didn’t connect with her. At the end she hit the note, minus the screechiness, which was a first for her. I thought it was a very nice ending. Randy loved the whole punk country look with the boots. Ellen thought it was the way “to pull the Shania Twain into the station.” Kara said, “Guess who’s back! Siobhan!” I’m noticing that they didn’t really comment on the singing itself but talked all around it. Simon thought the song was perfect but that the screaming at the end was almost like she was giving birth.

My take on the night is that it’s time for Big Mike to go as he was already slated to go before the Judge’s Save. I think the Save has run its course. Of the six left, he’s the weakest link. That said, nobody is weak at this point it’s just that some stand out more than others and he stands out the least. Crystal could end up in the bottom three for swerving from her fan base again. It’s getting harder and harder to pick the bottom three. I think surely Lee and Casey won’t be in it.

This definitely wasn’t your ordinary results night. President Obama and First Lady Michelle opened the show offering their support for Idol Gives Back, which was the theme for this particular results night.

Queen Latifah co-hosted with Ryan, covering several live performances in Pasadena. The Top 12 American Idols appeared for the event. I wish they each could have sang an individual song but famous singers bring more money to a charity so single spots were reserved for much bigger names.

Those names included: Black Eyed Peas, Jeff Beck, Joss Stone, Alicia Keys, Carrie Underwood, Annie Lennox, and Elton John.

They all came together along with Jennifer Garner, Victoria Beckham and Captain Sully Sullenberger to support charities such as Save the Children.

Comedian George Lopez, who won a silent auction giving him the rights to host some of the results, set the stage with disco lights and announced that it was about time that somebody judged the judges. He started with Randy, noting that people who work at the dog pound didn’t say “dog” as often as Randy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Randy laugh so hard.

When he got to Simon he zeroed in on the tight shirts saying that people at home could tell how cold it was in the studio by looking at Simon’s nipples.

Judging finally shifted to the Idols themselves. After leaving the Idols in agony, two were finally sent to safety: Lee Dewyze and Crystal Bowersox. Two others were sent to the Bottom’s Out stools to await their verdict: Casey James and Aaron Kelly. This was a first for Casey.

Week after week I write about who didn’t live up to their potential. I predict the bottom three and sometimes add who I hope goes home. Rarely do I say who I hope wins. It’s always about the bottom three, never about the top three.

Originally my top three were Crystal, Casey and Siobhan. That’s changed over the weeks to Crystal, Casey and Lee. Siobhan has had quite a few weeks that didn’t grab me as she had early on while Lee has been steadily growing. Teflon Tim has never been in my top three but I’ve enjoyed him immensely and wanted him to stick around over some of the others simply because he made me smile. I’d rather see Mike or Aaron go over Tim for that reason. They’re okay but they don’t entertain me.

Okay, so we know that Aaron and Casey are in the bottom three while Crystal and Lee are safe. What next?

Morgan Freeman joined Randy Jackson to reveal another supported charity: United Nations Foundation. Morgan and Randy visited a Save the Children family, Randy all snazzy in a suit and orange striped tie. Every now and again they’d flash images of Randy in an Alaska shirt and I kept wondering what his connection was to Alaska. Never did find out.

More celebrities appeared including Slash, Tatiana Del Toro and Jim Carrey, who ran off the stage to pee. Two more charities were revealed, Feeding America and Global Health Care, which is a segment of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Yes, that would be THE Bill Gates. Apparently his foundation isn’t listed as an Idol Gives Back charity, but as a nonprofit partner along with charity One.org.

Elliott Yamin and Wanda Sykes were also part of Idol Gives Back. Wanda talked a lot about the weekly loser who gets voted off the show. She just couldn’t understand why they’d make the loser sing a song to remind America why they didn’t vote for that person.

Two other charities who benefit from Idol Gives Back are Malaria No More and Children’s Health Fund.

More results finally came, sending Michael Lynche and Siobhan Magnus to safety leaving Teflon Tim Urban to round out the bottom three.

Season 7 winner David Cook showed his support and Simon announced that over $15 million dollars had been raised so far. Several celebrity singers joined together to sing “Stairway to Heaven” with Randy Jackson playing bass guitar. That segment sped by so quickly I missed who the others were except for the singer, Mary J. Blige.

An interesting commercial came on showing girls dancing in bikinis, tight skirts and short shorts (reminding me of the old song Who Wears Short Shorts. The commercial was for Reebok Easytone shoes which are designed to help tone up your leg muscles and we all know that the leg bone is connected to the butt bone.

I’m not sure how this tied into Idol Gives Back as it wasn’t listed as a beneficiary charity or a partner charity, but Elton John showed his support for Elton John AIDS Foundation urging everyone to get tested. Apparently 33 million people worldwide are known to have AIDS.

They announced that next week’s theme would be Shania Twain and then announced who got voted off. They didn’t make him sing and he left with a big smile. You guessed it. Teflon Tim Urban goes home.

Remember that last time two got voted off after the Judge’s Save, leaving seven to sing tonight. Alicia Keys was the mentor with songs of inspiration as the theme.

Casey James

Casey started the night with the Fleetwood Mac song “Don’t Stop”. Alicia wanted to make sure that the audience didn’t say, “I love that song” but that they said instead, “I love HIM!” While I do love Casey’s voice, I wish he’d have changed up the song more or chosen a Bob Seger song. Casey played great guitar and put a bit of a rock twist to the song but there wasn’t a wow factor. Casey has such potential but he keeps missing the wow factor. Randy thought it was a good performance but not Casey’s best. He was looking for something a little more special. I agree. Ellen loved the guitar and said that while Casey was consistent, he needed to be great and this wasn’t it. Kara compared it to a jam band and said he made himself like everybody else. Simon said it had zero emotion, no originality and called it a lazy song choice.

Lee Dewyze

Lee totally took the night as far as I’m concerned with the Simon and Garfunkel song “The Boxer”. Alicia told Lee that “people have to feel like you are that boxer.” I totally felt it. The emotion was so strong it brought me to tears. Not only that, Lee changed it up and made it his own. You would not have recognized it as a Simon and Garfunkel song. I loved their version and I loved Lee’s version. Awesome job, Lee! Randy said Lee was a great artist who was ready to make great music. Ellen said he was getting better and better which surprised her because she already thought he was great. Kara said that this was his moment. Simon said that while the evening was only two in, it was the best of the night. Simon called it sincere, emotional, inspirational and absolutely brilliant.

Tim Urban

Teflon Tim, minus the Teflon smile, sang “Better Days” by the Goo Goo Dolls. Alicia said she liked the song on him. For me it didn’t work. Tim had the unfortunate fate of following Lee, who set the bar so high it was nearly impossible to follow him. I didn’t feel the connection with Tim this time. He really should sing songs that let him smile. Inspirational or not, the song needs to be upbeat and happy or Tim gets lost. Randy thought it was just good karaoke. Ellen compared him to the soup of the day. Sometimes you like it, sometimes you don’t, and today she didn’t like the soup. Kara talked about this “new Tim” who was different from what we were used to. Was she missing the happy Tim, too? Simon said we’d be impressed if we were seeing him for the first time but called the performance a little bit of a letdown. He did add that Tim has improved.

Aaron Kelly

Aaron took on the song “I Believe I Can Fly” by R. Kelly. Alicia told Aaron that it had to feel deep and pure and passionate. While Aaron obviously put his all into it, for me it was pitchy, wobbly, and just a not-as-good copycat. With a song that big you need to change it up. You should never try to mimic a big song which is what he did. Randy said he’d picked a giant song, said he had pure vocal talent and that he’d done a good job. Ellen reminisced about that brief time in the 70s when she thought she could fly. Kara said watching that was like taking off. She mimicked a plane taking off kind of rough and finally said, “You got there.” Simon said that Aaron had given it his all but in the real world if we’d heard that song on the radio we would turn it off. Exactly!

Siobhan Magnus

Siobhan looked beautiful, opting for a younger look again with a younger hairstyle. She sang “When You Believe” by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. Alicia zeroed in on her money spot note and was very impressed with Siobhan’s voice. Alicia said that Siobhan could do things that a lot of people couldn’t do. The money spot note was not the screechy note that Siobhan has become famous for, it was a softer note. As if to punctuate her softer side, Siobhan had a butterfly sitting on her shoulder and another on her hand. There wasn’t a screechy note in the whole song. Randy thought she’d picked the toughest song of the night and for him it was just okay. Ellen disagreed, saying this was just more confirmation as to why she was here in the competition. Kara said that technically Siobhan sang it very well and added a “but…” Simon thought it was the wrong song for her, called it old fashioned and said that the leaves (butterflies) distracted him.

Michael Lynche

Big Mike took on the Chad Kroeger song “Hero.” Alicia wanted the people to go crazy for Mike. I didn’t go crazy. That song always makes me stop whatever I’m doing to listen. It’s a moving song and Chad sings it so beautifully. Big Mike had big shoes to fill and for me, he didn’t fill them. The beautiful song became ordinary, ho hum. Randy thought he held his own with it. Ellen said he did a great job. Kara said it wasn’t her favorite performance and that the song became unrecognizable. Simon thought he sang it pretty well but said the song didn’t quite gel for him. He commented that the theme was inspirational but Mike had picked a Spiderman song, as if somehow that mattered. For those of us who didn’t see the Spiderman movie we wouldn’t know anything but the song which is totally inspirational. Simon predicted that Mike would be around next week nonetheless.

Crystal Bowersox

That left Crystal to close out the night with the song “People Get Ready.” Alicia said that Crystal was one of her favorites and predicted that people would love her performance. For the first time this season, she sang without playing an instrument. I’m not familiar with the song but it sounded like a gospel song to me. She started out acapella and for a moment, I thought she was planning to do the entire song that way. It wouldn’t have made a difference. I didn’t care for it. Crystal may have alienated her fan base singing a gospel song. She reaches out to folks who either lived the sixties and seventies generations or who love their music. Choosing a gospel song unknown to the average listener was not a smart move. You have to know who your listeners are.

At the end of the song Crystal broke down and cried the last few notes. The song obviously meant a lot to her personally. Randy said he’s been a fan since day one and clapped. Ellen called it beautiful. Kara thanked her for taking such a big risk and said that “Mama Sox” had just schooled all the other contestants. Simon was happy to see her so emotional. He put her in a different class than everyone else we’d heard tonight.

Crystal was so emotional that she took Ryan’s hanky to dab her eyes. I predict that unless her show of emotion saves her, Crystal might find herself in the bottom three. Tim and Aaron will probably be in the bottom three, with the third spot either being Crystal or Mike’s.

There was a bit of a blooper as they replayed excerpts for people to vote. Crystal’s replay showed her ending the song with a smile and complete composure, not the teary breakdown she actually finished the song with. Did they use a clip from rehearsal for her excerpt?

Playbacks ended with Crystal putting her head on Lee’s shoulder for a moment, reminding me that Lee totally owned the night. Nobody even came close. Does America agree with me? We’ll find out tomorrow at the end of Idol Gives Back.

All the Idols looked so worried as they waited for the double bomb to drop. Earlier in the season even on results night, they didn’t look as worried but somewhere along the way it gets real. Over 34 million votes came in but even that wasn’t enough for the bottom two.

Ryan brought Casey James, Aaron Kelly and Andrew Garcia to center stage. At first I thought he was going to announce them as the bottom three which would be a shock. But nope, he started a playback review of the previous evening. During Aaron’s very bad review, Simon actually pouted. I wonder if he thought he’d been too hard on Aaron. It didn’t matter because Andrew got voted off while Casey and Aaron were sent to safety.

I thought Andrew was a good choice to be voted off as he was one of the weakest singers. He left by saying, “You guys let me experience something I’ll never experience again. Thank you!” While I’ve never been a fan, he should have been more positive in his outlook. You never know what the road will bring you after American Idol.

Brooke White from Season 7 came on with Justin Gaston to sing the Elvis song, “I Can Dream.” Brooke was one of my favorites that season and it was tough to have a top pick.

Then Ryan brought all the rest out on stage, one by one giving a playback review of the night before. Lee Dewyze was the first reviewed and when asked what was different for him, he answered that he feels more like he’s playing a concert now than an audition. He didn’t get a thumbs up or down, Ryan just moved right on down the line leaving all in suspense.

Tim Urban offered up his famous smile during the review. All I can say is, “Tim, when you smile, the whole world smiles with you.”

Crystal Bowersox was declared safe and blew thanks on her harmonica. It was a nice touch, memorable. Siobhan Magnus was also sent to safety.

Ryan came back to Lee Dewyze and said that Chris Daughtry of Season 5 sang the same song the week he got eliminated, hinting that the song was bad karma. Lee, however, was sent to safety for it.

That left Tim, Mike and Katie to wonder which of the three would be going home. I hoped it wasn’t Tim. We were all left in suspense while Adam Lambert sang his song, “Whataya Want From Me”. I had so hoped he’d be singing “Rabbit Hole”. I saw him sing that one on another show and I really liked it. “Whataya Want From Me” has been done to death on the TV circuits. Adam brought his own lasers for the occasion. He said that being in the real world of music was a lot of hard work and that American Idol really helped prepare you for it.

Finally it was the moment of truth. Who else would be going home? Ryan walked up behind Teflon Tim and said, “Smile, you’re safe!”

That left Big Mike and Katie Stevens and it was Katie who was sent home this time, taking Mike’s place for being outed. I cannot imagine how Big Mike felt knowing that. Michael Lynche wasn’t even in the bottom three this week after being voted off and saved last week.

Crystal cried for Katie while Siobhan looked utterly grief stricken. Katie couldn’t stop crying as they showed her journey through American Idol. Bye bye, Katie! I have no doubt that she’ll find a home on stage somewhere.

It’s a really big week. Big Mike got the only Judge’s Save last week so this week, two go home, no saves. The theme: Elvis Presley. The mentor: Adam Lambert. Adam is the first contestant ever to be called in as a mentor. His overall advice was for the Idols to put more energy into their performances. When Ryan asked what Elvis song Adam would have sung, the conversation went totally off beat with Ryan’s comment: “My tongue is not nearly as talented as yours.”

It was so totally appropriate for Adam to be the mentor of Elvis week. At home we’ve been comparing Adam to Elvis in that there is a facial resemblance. I mean look at him. The eyes, the nose, the lips, some of his expressions, there are a lot of similarities. The big difference is that Adam is far more talented than Elvis and we often say that if Adam had picked a more popular genre of music, he could easily be as big as Elvis. Since Adam was born after Elvis died, do you think there’s any chance he’s Elvis reincarnated?

Crystal Bowersox

Crystal blazed the way with the Elvis song “Saved”. Adam’s suggestion was that she needed to let her dreads down and swing them around a little. She totally got into the song but it just didn’t do it for me. Randy thought it was dope and thought it was the second coming of Bonnie Raitt. Kara loved the uptempo. Simon loved that she didn’t choose an obvious song or fall into the karaoke trap which he predicted so many other contestants would do.

Andrew Garcia

I was fixated on Andrew’s ice cream cone. He had a hanky in his pocket and a necklace or chain hanging below the pocket in a V-shape and it looked like an ice cream cone with the hanky as the ice cream. It was distracting. Andrew sang “Hound Dog”. Adam said that Andrew left him wanting more and that he was bored. His advice for Andrew was to change it and make it his own. He did do that. He slowed it down and jazzed it up and it was a good Andrew performance but it didn’t do it for me. Randy said, “That was not good karaoke.” Ellen said she “personally really did like it” and that he pulled it off. Kara told him he needed more swagger, that Elvis owned the stage. Simon called it lazy and compared it to the one part of a musical that nobody wants to see or hear. Simon said that all the coolness had been sucked out of him.

Tim Urban

Teflon Tim, who was called “Turban” this week by Ryan, sang “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You.” Adam thought Tim did some really pretty guitar music. Yes, he used the word “pretty” and encouraged Tim to end the song in falsetto. I usually enjoy Tim but this week didn’t do it for me. I was looking forward to the falsetto ending but he did not oblige. It might have saved the song. Randy said, “This may surprise you but I actually liked it.” Ellen compared him to a shot of tequila. You drink it and don’t know if you like it so you drink another. And another and another and finally decide you like it. She really enjoyed Tim’s performance. Kara called it her favorite Tim performance ever. Simon said he managed to go from zero to hero in two weeks. I did agree with Adam that it was very pretty guitar playing.

Lee Dewyze

Lee decided to go with “A Little Less Conversation (a little more action)”. Adam’s suggestion was that he smile and be more playful. Lee picked a great song and he put a little more action into it as Adam suggested. It worked. He beat the first three hands down. The song was lively and I could see it filling a dance floor. Randy said he was definitely in the zone and added, “I love where your voice is.” Ellen thought he made it sound like a brand new song. Kara had never seen him go for it so vocally and said that the vocals were fire, but she wanted to see him get looser and more playful. Simon said, “It’s all about nailing the song. That was on the money full stop.”

Aaron Kelly

Up next was Aaron with “Blue Suede Shoes”. Adam said he had underestimated Aaron and that his voice was really great. Aaron totally owned the stage and played the audience. I guarantee he hooked a few chicks with that performance. I thought he did an excellent job. The judges didn’t all agree. Randy preferred the second half to the first half but overall wasn’t enthused. Ellen said it was a big song to take on and gave him an “A” for effort. Kara thought he was out of his comfort zone and she actually liked it. Simon compared it to a high school concert and actually ranked Tim’s performance higher than Aaron’s. I felt so bad for him, Aaron looked totally crushed. I don’t think he was expecting a bad review this week.

Siobhan Magnus

Siobhan sang “Suspicious Minds”. She’s a true Elvis fan and did a report on him in the 6th grade. It didn’t help her. She changed the song, making it almost a gospel song. You could tell she was really feeling it but I didn’t enjoy it. So far still, Lee takes the night. Adam said she’s got the pipes but that she needs to add a little more energy and speed it up. She didn’t do that. Randy said, “That girl can sing!” Ellen liked the second half and said she had a beautiful voice. Kara said Siobhan has two voices and that it was confusing. Simon thought she came off 20 years older. He called it erratic and screechy. Simon said she lost who she was 2-3 weeks ago. The subject of defining her as an artist came up and she defended herself with, “If I can’t label myself, I don’t think it’s necessary to be labeled.” She sees herself as an artist who can fit multiple genres but the trouble is, when you try to do that starting out, you lose a lot of fans.

Michael Lynche

Mike, who got the Judge’s Save last week, sang “In The Ghetto”. This type of song is right up his alley, the story song, but it was too slow for me and I didn’t feel the connection. Adam thinks he deserves to get right down to the end of the competition and called him “an amazing singer”. Randy thought it was a little sleepy but called the vocals “hot”. Ellen was glad they’d saved him. Kara called it a beautiful song. Simon said it was a million billion times better than last week and one of his favorite Michael performances.

Katie Stevens

Katie was up next with “Baby, What Do You Want Me To Do?” A totally appropriate song that she sang to the judges in response to their frustrating reviews. Adam wanted her to use that frustration and throw it into the song choice and the song. He said she’s got the pipes, she’s got the look, now she has to make us believe it. Well I did believe it. I loved the outfit and I thought she did an excellent job with the song. Randy laughed and said, “Katie’s getting sassy” and said he was entertained. Ellen said it was a very horny song, further explaining that it had a lot of horns in it. Kara said, “I think you showed us judges! You showed us, girl! Good job!” Simon called it “loud”. He didn’t like the song. He said, “They (the audience) liked it so it doesn’t matter what I think.”

Casey James

Casey finished it out with the Elvis song “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”. Adam hoped he’d build an arch and give the song a climax. I don’t know if he did that but I love his voice. I heard a few rough patches but I totally enjoyed the performance. Randy didn’t see anything different but called it another solid performance. Ellen wasn’t as excited as she’d like to be. Kara said Casey was capable of brilliance but that wasn’t it. Simon called it a wasted opportunity but added that the vocals were good.

I predict Andrew, Tim and Mike in the bottom three. Remember, TWO will be sent home and there are no more Judge’s Saves.

Ryan started out by promising “shocking results”. As I’d predicted that Siobhan might end up in the bottom three this week, that would definitely qualify as shocking. I’m sure they’d save Siobhan if she were the one. There are only 4 more chances for the Judge’s Save before it goes away.

They brought Crystal Bowersox, Siobhan Magnus and Katie Stevens to center stage. I thought maybe they’d be declared bottom three because that surely would be a shocker with both Crystal and Siobhan but nope, all three girls were declared safe.

Jason Derulo came out and sang “In My Head”. Apparently he was signed by Kara. Not a big fan but he did work the audience and pulled a couple of Michael Jackson moves, punctuating his performance with jets of fire shooting in the background. Ryan commented that in all the years he didn’t know their stage had gas, smoke and pyro.

David Archuleta sang “Imagine” as he played the piano. A strange follow up for Derulo’s performance and more suited to the Lennon/McCartney theme. The really weird thing about young Idol’s is that when you see them a couple years later they look older. Once you get to a certain age you stay put for awhile. You don’t age anymore until the next big jump.

Then it came, the promised surprise. The guys were divided into two groups of three. One group had Lee Dewyze, Casey James and Tim Urban. The other group had Aaron Kelly, Big Mike and Andrew Garcia.

When Tim stood up there were screams from the audience for him. He definitely has a following. Since Casey is the top dude for me and Tim has a huge following, I would have predicted that group to be the surprise but nope, it was the other group that made up the bottom three. So Lee, Casey and Teflon Tim ride again.

Aaron was quickly sent to safety leaving Andrew and Big Mike. Well I was still waiting for what they considered a surprise so between the two it had to be Big Mike at the bottom.

They let Mike and Andrew hang for awhile for Rihanna to sing her song “Rock Star 101″. Her outfit was a black second skin that she’d poured on. Her background singers were decked out in full sparkles, even their hair.

Finally it came, the news, and Andrew was sent to safety leaving Big Mike to sing for the Judge’s Save. He sang This Woman’s Work as his wife sobbed in the audience. The song ended with “just make it go away” which didn’t bode well for Michael.

The judges were definitely discussing his fate. Kara was highly animated as if she were trying to convince the others, particularly Simon, to save Mike. At the end she looked disgusted so I was thinking it went badly but nope, it was unanimous, Michael Lynche got the Judge’s Save. That means two go home next week. At least they all get to meet with Adam Lambert who will be their mentor for next week.

Technically I should rename this post “9 to 9 results” but if I did that, you wouldn’t have as much fun reading to the end if you didn’t already know the outcome.

Tonight the Idol’s had some giant shoes to fill, singing songs from the Lennon/McCartney songbook. Together they had 35 #1 hits. I wondered who the mentor would be this week and there wasn’t one. Paul McCartney, however, did send them good luck wishes from afar. Randy’s advice for this week was to “bring it”.

Aaron Kelly

Aaron started the night with “The Long and Winding Road”. Nicknamed “Yoda” by the other contestants, Aaron took on the song of the stars. I thought he did a good job but somehow it sounded a little off to me. I can’t put my finger on it. Every now and again he injected a bit of country twang which suits him very well but it didn’t save the song for me. It was a boring song before he sang it and he didn’t make it unboring.

Randy called it sleepy and wished he’d turned it into a country song. Ellen called it a “long and winding song”. Kara said that it was beginning to feel the same every week and wished he’d choose some uptempo songs for a change and move around the stage more. Simon called it boring.

Katie Stevens

Katie, who’s had five requests to the prom so far, says she’ll go with the person who can prove they’ve sent her the most votes. Katie moved a notch higher this week singing “Let It Be”. I was totally prepared not to like it but she really hooked me. I loved it. I thought it was her best week ever. She changed it up and I loved the changes. I much preferred the first part of the song where her voice was softer and more melodic. I haven’t heard that side of her voice before and I liked it.

Randy called it her best performance ever. He said, “Dude! Those were HOT vocals! That’s why you’re in the top nine.” Ellen predicted that no way would she be in the bottom three this week and called it “amazing”. Kara was very proud of Katie tonight and said she was blossoming. Simon said that tonight, she got it right. He took full credit for the improvement claiming that it was by following his suggestions that she’d done so well.

Andrew Garcia

Andrew went for an upbeat song, singing “Can’t Buy Me Love”. He may have finally beat “Straight Up” with this one. It was his best performance yet and for once, he really looked like he was having fun on stage.

Randy called it a solid performance but he wasn’t jumping up and down. Ellen declared that yes, you CAN buy love. She said the song was a lot of fun and she loved it. Kara said she hadn’t seen anything new from Andrew this week. Simon compared him to a guitarist at a wedding who decided to sing a song. He called it “irrelevant” and said that both Andrew and the band got it all wrong. Nobody mentioned his hair, which seems to get puffier every week. I kept waiting for a reference to “Snookie’s Poof”.

Michael Lynche

I wondered which love song Big Mike was going to sing, he’s been so predictable that way, but he totally surprised me by choosing “Eleanor Rigby”. Even though he sang it well, it didn’t work for me. It sounded nasal and I did NOT enjoy it. I was happy to hear it end.

Randy thought it was good enough to be on the radio. Ellen enjoyed seeing a different side of Mike. She called the song a huge risk and punctuated it with “incredible”. Kara thought it was fire. She said his vocals were amazing and that he totally sold the story. She said that Mike made that song commercial. Simon didn’t love it. He thought it was over the top and that Mike went backwards with this choice.

Crystal Bowersox

Mama Sox, as the other contestants call her, went back to her roots with “Come Together”. I was so happy to see her give up the heels and glitz and go back to being down to earth and true to herself. The other contestants said she was honest and kind. I’m glad she’s that type of person because it just fits with her whole on stage persona.

Crystal sang “Come Together” which is not one of my favorite songs. Let’s just say I wouldn’t put it on my ipod. But Crystal took the song and made me totally love it. She’s got serious talent to be able to do that. She changed it up, made it her own and totally reeled me in.

Randy said it wasn’t her best but she won him over. Ellen loved the Didgeridoo. Crystal had Ernie playing an Australian instrument called a Didgeridoo, a several foot long wind instrument sometimes described as a “drone pipe”. It looked like a giant bong and I could see goatherds calling goats with it up in the Alps. Okay, so that makes no sense but there it is. The Didgeridoo was a strange instrument indeedy.

Back to Ellen, she said she was running out of ways to tell Crystal how great she is. For Kara, it was one of her favorite performances from Crystal and she called it slinky, sexy and playful. I can’t say I saw that. Simon called it quirky and said she’d helped him prove a point on how to take an old song and make it contemporary. Simon said he could definitely hear Crystal singing this song on the radio.

Tim Urban

Teflon Tim was up next, taking on “All My Lovin’.” I liked the parts that he changed but the rest was more like karaoke for me. Randy said he was in his own category and rather than try to compare him to the other contestants, he compared Tim to Tim and said that it was a “good Tim performance”, better than the last two weeks.

Ellen called it his second best performance after “Hallelujah”. Kara said his best performances are when he has a guitar and is doing something different with the melody and tonight, he had a guitar. Simon said he wasn’t going to judge Tim on a Tim performance, preferring to compare him to the other contestants. With that opening I was expecting the worst but surprise, surprise! Simon was proud of Tim, thought he did very well and ended with “Well done!”

Casey James

Casey, who the other contestants likened to a playboy or soap opera star, chose the song “Jealous Guy”. He sang it well but the song was way too slow for my taste. It would have been better for me if he’d sped it up a lot. Overall it was forgettable. Somewhere in it he hit a note and sounded like Bob Seger. I think he’d sound really awesome singing a Bob Seger song.

Randy loved seeing the sensitive side of Casey and called the performance “heartfelt”. Ellen thought it was his best to date and called it “soulful”. Kara called it “vulnerable” and said that Casey was showing depth. Simon called him Goldilocks and said it was the best performance of the night so far. He coined a new word, “Ginormous”, in honor of the occasion. Simon was very impressed.

Siobhan Magnus

Siobhan came out with a curly top hairdo and frilly, floor length skirt. I really prefer her with simpler or younger hair styles. Tonight’s hairstyle was too old for her. I could see it on someone like Barbara Streisand. It went well with the dress and the song but for me, it just wasn’t Siobhan. It was like watching someone else, someone older and more hoity toity. One thing you’ve got to say about Siobhan is that she definitely follows her own path. Casey said she was the most interesting person he’s ever met. From Siobhan, I do not expect ordinary or hoity toity. I expect different, quirky and fun.

Randy said that nobody screams artists more than Siobhan. While he thought the song was sleepy, he loved the artistry. Ellen said she’s a big fan of people who march to the beat of their own drum. Kara said that while she hit the notes, it was restrained and polite, not what we’re used to seeing from Siobhan. Simon thought it was better than last week and liked her unpredictability.

Lee Dewyze

Lee, known as the Worry Wart of the bunch, sang “Hey Jude”. It didn’t work for me. I thought he should have changed it to fit his voice and style. A man in full Scottish dress accompanied Lee with a bagpipe. While it added a touch of flair it didn’t save the song for me. Lee, however, looked delighted overall.

Randy talked about how Lee is a bundle of nerves before every performance and told him he should stop worrying because he’s got this. Ellen loved it. Kara said there were good moments and off moments but that it was hot and she could hear it on the radio. Simon said he wouldn’t have done the bagpipes.

I predict that Tim and Siobhan will be in the bottom three. Yes, I hate to say it but Siobhan might actually hit bottom. If she gets voted off, the judge’s would likely save her. I don’t know who to predict for the third slot.

The Idols all looked utterly miserable as they faced results night. At least being voted off at this point doesn’t take them off tour. However, being voted off this early doesn’t give them as big a leg up in their career.

The show opened with Simon being compared to the Kraken (a big, mean monster) in Clash of the Titans. Then Ruben Studdard, winner of Season 2, came out and performed. He’d lost a lot of weight and attributed it in part to becoming a Vegan (vegetarian). The whole time he was singing I kept thinking how big he was, like Big Mike, and I wondered who was bigger. I guess I wasn’t the only one because they brought Big Mike out to stand next to Ruben and believe it or not, Ruben won. Amazing!

Big Mike was sporting a pony tail. Hair comes and goes when you’re on stage, doesn’t it? Glue it on, peel it off, dye it pink. The pony tail looked blonde to me but Ryan called it a pink squirrel’s tail. Surely Big Mike wasn’t sporting a pink pony tail?

Finally they started the countdown to the bottom three. Lee Dewyze was first up. He attributed his successful night to finally relaxing, not worrying over the judges or being on stage and just letting loose to do what he would normally do which is feed off the audience. Relax and ye shall rise to the top because Lee was pronounced safe.

Casey James was up next. Casey’s secret to success was to go with the flow, pick songs he likes, and just give it his all. It worked because Casey was also pronounced safe.

Aaron Kelly had to sit through the judges discussing his love life and asking whether he’d ever been in love at such a young age. Simon finally let him off the hook by saying it wasn’t the Oprah Winfrey show. He was sent to safety to ponder singing love songs if you’ve never been in love.

Siobhan Magnus and Katie Stevens were called out side by side. I feared for Siobhan to be paired with Katie because Siobhan is so much more talented and entertaining, I thought surely it could only mean that there’d be an upset and Siobhan would be first in the bottom three. When asked about the judge’s harsh critique of her last night she answered, “It’s not my favorite Idol moment…” and added that she wasn’t defeated. She was right. No defeat for her this week because it was Katie who was sent to the stools while Siobhan cried tears of relief. Simon expressed his frustration that Katie wasn’t taking their advice.

Ryan announced that next week’s theme was the Lennon McCartney songbook. I know they’ll have fun with that! I sure will! Usher came out singing “OMG” from his Raymond vs. Raymond CD. I’m not a big fan of the song but I’ve got to hand it to him, Usher definitely has the flash and the dance moves. I’ll bet he blows ‘em away in concert.

Didi Benami was the next to get the news. They talked about how much better she did when she played the guitar and asked why she’d stopped playing the guitar. She said she was still basically a beginner on guitar and just wasn’t comfortable enough with it to bring it every time. The voters must have missed the guitar too because she was the next one sent to the stools.

Big Mike was next up with Ellen telling the world she called him Tiny Mike for his big, sensitive heart. I’m not sure I understood that right as it makes no sense to me but hey, we’re talking about Ellen who talks about Snookie’s Poof and compares the Idols to bananas. Mike was declared safe and he picked Ryan up off the floor and held Ryan up almost over his head.

Earlier they’d talked about Crystal playing the piano instead of the guitar. Apparently she’d taken lessons at one point but switched to a guitar because you can pick up a guitar and carry it around with you. I much prefer her with the guitar. Either way, Crystal Bowersox was sent to safety while Tim Urban and Andrew Garcia got called up side by side which is the kiss of death for one of them. They talked about Tim’s smiling in the face of the judges critique and he replied, “Every time I step on stage it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.” I love his attitude and was sad to see him sent to the bottom three while Andrew went to safety.

Diddy was the next big entertainer to take the stage with his song, “Hello Good Morning”. He didn’t have the moves that Usher had and for the most part, his show was mostly smoke and mirrors, literally. If you can’t move me with the song you need to move me with the visuals. It didn’t move me.

They finally got down to the fate of the bottom three and Katie was sent to safety leaving Tim and Didi. Teflon Tim smiled while Didi looked utterly miserable. The smile really does help him because I wanted him to stay just for that reason. It’s hard to stick it to someone who keeps on smiling. There’s a life lesson in that.

It wasn’t the first time that Tim stood in the bottom two. He was there with Paige just one week ago and survived it. This week he survived the cut again and Didi was the American Idol to be sent home. She sang “Rhiannon” for the Judge’s Save. As hard as the judges have been on her through the weeks I didn’t anticipate a save for her. The judges could be seen in the background talking and laughing which was the kiss of death for Didi. It meant they weren’t having a truly serious debate and were just passing the time. The song ended and Simon told her that while it was a million times better than what she’d done last night, it didn’t save her. So the axe fell for Didi Benami.